Power Struggles
by StarWarrior72
Summary: In a different kind of power struggle, two very different people will fight for the same thing, for the same reason. Obi-Wan, Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker. Complete?
1. Chapter 1

Luke was running. He couldn't stop. He could hear the troopers ever-closer behind him. The Emperor had commanded that he not be harmed or killed unless he had ordered it. Ahead of him, he could see the spires of the Jedi Temple, reaching up to the sky.

As he managed to make it inside he heard the troopers stop in their tracks. It was an unspoken rule that no one was to enter the old building unless they had been ordered to do so. The troopers would be creating a perimeter around the building, waiting for him to emerge.

They would have a long time to wait. Luke didn't plan on coming back out. The galaxy had no room for him. He would die here before he would allow them to take him back to prison to be tortured until he gave in to the Dark Side. Or death, whichever came first.

He kept running through the Jedi bodies and into a hallway with doors on both sides. He knew that he would find his father's quarters. The Force drew him forward through the dark halls and all too palpable death.

Finally, one room called out to him and he entered it. Like the rest of the Temple, his father's possessions were covered in a thick layer of dirt. Unlike the rest of the Temple, this room was tidy and there were no bodies. The only thing out of place was a spare cloak on the neatly made bed.

Luke threw himself onto his father's bed and pulled the cloak close. He was only thirteen. It wasn't fair. How could the Empire do this to anybody? He felt tears on his cheeks and brushed them away, pushing his face into the abandoned cloak.

_This was Dad's room. What would he think if he saw me now? He used to wear this. He used to sleep on this bed. This is the closest I've ever been to him. I wish he would come through the door and put his arms around me and make me feel better._

Luke wrapped himself in the cloak and crawled under the blankets of his father's bed. There was no point dying cold. As he curled up under the blankets, his hand slipped under the pillow and he felt the edge of a picture frame. He pulled it out and blew off the dust. It was a picture of a tall man and a shorter woman with a round belly. His parents.

He started crying even harder and held the picture. Suddenly he couldn't bear to look at the place his father had called home. He rolled over and stared at the wall. He couldn't stand knowing that he was going to die.

_I'm not here to die. I'm just waiting for my father. He's late. He should be back anytime now. And when he gets back he'll hold me and make me laugh and keep me safe. I just have to wait a little longer. And then Mom will get back. I'm hungry, but it can wait until Dad gets back. He always makes sure I'm happy. I just have to wait now._

In a way, Luke believed it. He would wait for death and with death would come reunion with his parents. They would protect him and love him. He would never face the Emperor's Sith lightning again. He would never have to think about torture again.

Luke lay still trying to convince himself that everything would be OK all day. He was famished, but he wouldn't eat. He was going to starve himself. He didn't know where to find food or a weapon to end it faster.

He wanted to sleep. He wanted to die painlessly in his sleep. His stomach was growling too loudly and it hurt. He was crying again. Perhaps dehydration was more likely at this point. He didn't care. He just wanted it over so he could see his father again.

Luke curled more tightly and lay still again. There was the sound of horribly loud, artificial breathing from the door._ I'm having a nightmare. Vader can't be here! It's not fair! I just want it over!_

As Vader entered his old quarters, he saw a small lump in his old bed. No one visited the old temple. It was just too creepy. Vader himself steered clear of it, but he had to retrieve the old pictures of his wife. He had thought that the pain of losing her would fade if he didn't have anything to remind him of the loss. Instead, he had felt that in failing to save the photos he was failing her again.

_Who are you? What are you doing here?_ He walked over to the bed and sat down next to the small, rigid form.

He could sense the Sith approaching and there was confusion flowing from him. Suddenly a black glove came down on his shoulder and he was looking up into the terrifying mask.

"Who are you?" Vader asked.

Luke was too scared to answer. He tried to pull away, "Let me go! I'm not any threat here. I just want to stay here to die!"

Vader didn't release him, just held him tighter. "Who are you?"

"I'm not even a Jedi! I was just at Ben's house because he found me when I was lost in the Jundland Wastes! Please don't take me back to the Empire! Please!"

"What is your name, Child?" Vader rested the frightened child back on the bed and held his wrists.

Luke knew when a situation was hopeless, "My name is Luke. Please don't take me back to the Empire."

Vader released Luke's wrists and put one hand on his fevered forehead, "Why shouldn't I? If you were a prisoner, I'm sure there was a good reason that you were there."

Luke shivered at Vader's touch, "No! It was all a misunderstanding! And even if it wasn't, I think you've already hurt me enough."

"What do you mean?" Vader's tone told Luke nothing.

"You killed my father." Luke didn't feel any anger with the accusation.

Vader looked down at the boy who lay in front of him. Wide, blue eyes gazed back up at him. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to be where my father died when I died." Luke felt stupid saying it, it was clear that no one had died in this room.

"What was your father's name, Luke?"

"Anakin Skywalker."

"What did you mean by 'it's all a misunderstanding'?"

"I'm not really a Jedi. I don't have any training. I'm just Force Sensitive. I was at Ben's house because he had found me when I was lost in the Jundland Wastes." Luke had calmed down considerably, it was clear that Vader didn't plan on taking him back to the Empire right away, at least.

There was a silence for a few moments as Vader stared at him. Suddenly, and much to Luke's horror, Vader picked him up and put him on his lap. Luke considered struggling, but it really wasn't worth it. He was a malnourished teen and Vader was a strong adult. Instead, he rested his head on Vader's shoulder.

"How did you get here?" Vader asked.

"I ran. When they opened my cell to take me to be tortured, I ran." Vader's hands were running through his hair now and, as odd as it was, it was comforting.

"What did they do to you when they tortured you?" Vader's voice wasn't sadistic to Luke's ears.

"Anything they could think of. They burned me with irons, they whipped me, they cut me, and the Emperor would use Force Lightning on me." At the thought he shivered and he could have sworn that Vader was hugging him closer.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, my son."

At Vader's words, Luke sat straight up, "What did you just call me?"

"I called you my son. You are, you know."

Luke started to cry again, "Please, don't do that. Please don't insult his memory like that."

Vader started to rock the boy, it was an awkward, jerky motion, but the intention was clear, to comfort and calm his son. "But I really am your father, Luke. I am."

Luke curled up in Vader's arms and shivered. "I'm not sure I can believe that." His stomach growled loudly.

Vader reached to his belt and pulled a ration bar, "Are you hungry, Luke?"

"No."

"Please don't lie to me." Vader stroked his Luke's hair.

"I won't eat. I'm going to starve myself. Otherwise the Empire'll kill me."

Vader unwrapped the bar and put it in his son's hand, "Be reasonable, Luke. I won't return you to the Empire. You could come home with me. I'd keep you safe."

"You honestly expect me to believe that when you killed Obi-Wan?" Luke started to eat subconsciously.

"I haven't done anything to him. He is waiting for me to kill him, yes, but if you want to protect him I won't hurt him. You just have to come with me."

_I don't want to be responsible for Ben's death, but I'm scared to listen to him. What if he just wants to turn me to the Dark Side too?_ "Do you promise you won't hurt him if I come with you?"

"I promise."

Luke nodded weakly and felt Vader pick him up. He closed his eyes and put his arms around the older man's neck. Vader carefully adjusted his grip so Luke would be more comfortable. Luke waited until they were back out of the Jedi Temple before he opened his eyes. Stormtroopers stared at him as he clung to the Sith and Luke closed his eyes again, he just wanted to be safe.

Finally, Luke fell asleep, still hanging around Vader's neck. He was awoken by having his arms pried carefully away.

"Huh?" he mumbled sleepily.

"It's just me, Luke. It's all right, go back to sleep." Vader rubbed his shoulder for a few moments and Luke relaxed.

"Kay." He curled up on the bed his father had put him on and went back to sleep.

When he woke up next, he was cradled in his father's arms as though he was a baby. He opened his eyes and stared up at Vader's mask and thought sleepily. _He looks really weird from this angle. I guess he looks weird all the time. I never really thought about it._

Vader didn't notice his son was awake until he rested the boy on his bed. "Luke? How do you feel?"

"I'm hungry." Luke said seriously.

Vader made a strange, sick-sounding noise that Luke realized was laughter. "And sleepy, I take it."

"A bit," Luke conceded, smiling.

"Would you like to see Obi-Wan?"

Luke nodded and Vader left to get Obi-Wan from his cell. Luke curled up again and waited, thinking that maybe he should have waited to see Obi-Wan until he was more awake.

"Luke?" Luke's eyes opened instantly at the sound of Obi-Wan's voice.

"Ben? Are you okay?" Luke tried to sit up and instantly felt dizzy. Obi-Wan caught him and gently laid him back down.

"Better than you, apparently. How do you feel?" Luke managed to focus on Obi-Wan's face as the older man spoke.

"I don't _feel _lousy. I feel fine. I'm just really, really sleepy." Luke tried, and failed, to suppress a yawn.

There was silence from Obi-Wan before he spoke again, "What do you think of your father?"

Luke moaned. _Why do you keep asking me confusing questions when I'm half asleep?_ "I'm not sure yet. I haven't been around him long enough to know. He seems fine."

"He hasn't hurt you, then?"

"No! He just brought me back here." Luke slid up the headboard so that he could see Ben.

"Good. Maybe there's still hope for him, then."

"What do you mean?"

"Your father is lost in the Dark Side, Luke. I thought you would notice." Obi-Wan smiled sadly.

"He didn't seem too lost to me. If he was lost in the Dark Side then he would just be cruel all the time, wouldn't he?"

"It's not that black and white."

"That's odd. It seems to me that it was that black and white when I was a Jedi, Obi-Wan." Luke turned to see his father enter with some food.

"You never did listen, Darth."

Luke, getting the definite feeling that he'd just been dropped into an argument he didn't know about, coughed quietly. Vader turned instantly to pass him the food he had brought. Obi-Wan just glared at Vader as Luke ate.

Afterwards, Luke couldn't help feeling sleepy. He was warm and safe. He was full and he had two people who seemed to love him, even if they were angry at each other. Sleeping really didn't sound like a bad idea. He curled up in a ball and yawned again.

Vader laughed, "You look like a pitten."

Luke smiled, "You sound like a dying krayt dragon. It's warm!" he retorted.

Obi-Wan could sense his one-time apprentice's amusement as he pulled the blankets up to his son's chin and stroked the child's hair.

Part of Luke felt odd being treated as half two-year-old, half pet, but he didn't really mind as long as his father was with him. _I guess I'd put up with just about anything as long as I'm with my father. And Ben is with us. I guess I'll just have to wait and see._


	2. Chapter 2

"What did you say to him?" Obi-Wan asked Vader.

"It is none of your business what I said to my own child." Vader snapped in half-hearted response, still gazing at his son's sleeping form.

"What did you force him to agree to?" Obi-Wan demanded.

For the first time, Vader looked up, "I simply promised not to hurt you if he would come home with me."

"What exactly did you agree on?"

"I promised a scared, hurt child a safe home with his father, and safety for someone else he cared about. Luke has agreed only to come home with me. According to our agreement, he could wake up tomorrow and leave."

"And what of me?" Obi-Wan asked, feeling selfish, but still sure that it was important that he know.

"I have no way of knowing what Luke was thinking when he agreed. He was weak, wounded, exhausted, and starved. It is quite possible that he will wake up tomorrow not remembering that he agreed to anything. I believe that he will be happiest if I allow you to choose. I would appreciate it if you left as soon as you have reassured him that I have not harmed you."

Obi-Wan nodded sagely. "What of the boy?"

"He will remain with me." Vader stated protectively, returning his attention to the child.

"What if he doesn't wish to?"

Obi-Wan was surprise to feel sudden hurt from his one-time apprentice. Apparently, the idea of being unwanted by his son had not occurred to him.

"Then I suppose he would leave." Vader caressed his son's cheek._ You wouldn't do that to me, would you Luke? You wouldn't leave me alone again?_

"Would you allow him to come with me, to be trained as a Jedi?"

Vader faltered for a moment, "Yes. If that was what he wanted. He would be free to do whatever he wishes. If he were to decide that he would rather be with me, would you allow him to return?"

It was Obi-Wan's turn to falter, surprised at first that Vader thought he would keep his son away from him. The surprise was quickly transformed into painful realization. His actions would make it seem that he would never allow it. "Yes."

"Who should take him in the first place?" Obi-Wan asked.

"He will remain with me." Vader repeated.

"What gives you a stronger claim to him?"

Vader gaped at his old master, "He is my _son_."

"You murdered his mother, and left him for dead!"

"I did nothing on purpose! I would have gone back for both of them, but you _incapacitated _me!" Vader said, putting heavy emphasis on it.

As the grown-up's conversation gained intensity, Luke moaned quietly and rolled over. Vader was instantly drawn back to his child's safety and happiness.

"Hush, Luke. It's all right. Don't be frightened."

Over the course of the next five minutes, Obi-Wan made several attempts at getting through to Vader. None were successful. The other was far too absorbed in comforting his sleeping child. For Obi-Wan's part, he was fairly sure that the child was almost completely unaware.

Finally, he grew tired with his apprentice's obsession.

"He's _asleep!_ He can't tell that you're comforting him!"

However, his raised voice promptly woke the child, who jumped.

"Father?"

"Hush, Luke. I'm here." Vader drew the child onto his lap. Still partly asleep, Luke looked rather confused at the sudden shift.

"Ben?"

Obi-Wan reached out to take the boy's hand, reassuring him that he was still present.

Luke nodded tiredly, "Good."

Vader watched the boy close his eyes again, resting his head on the shoulder pad of his father's armour.

Obi-Wan was just getting ready to start talking to Vader again when the boy stirred.

"Dad? I don't feel good."

"What? What doesn't feel good?" Vader asked, concerned.

"Everything," Luke whimpered, clinging to his father.

Vader gathered the child in his arms and stood up, "Do you feel sick? Or is it pain?"

"Both!" The child wailed helplessly, clinging tighter.

"Hush, hush. I'm going to try to find out what's happened. Would you like to lie back down, or come with me?" Obi-Wan stared at the sudden display of a tender side of Vader, one no one had ever seen before.

Luke relaxed slightly, but continued to clutch at his father. Vader took that as a way of saying that he wanted to come, and went down to the computer.

Luke reached over his father's shoulder, "Ben!"

Obi-Wan reached out and took the boy's hand, reassuring him. "I'm here, Luke."

Obi-Wan walked alongside the two Skywalkers, holding Luke's hand. When Vader sat back down, Luke reached out to Obi-Wan and was quickly transferred.

"What's happening?" Luke asked.

"I don't know." Obi-Wan told the frightened, hurting child.

"I hate this." Suddenly, Luke retched. Obi-Wan managed to stand up and carry the boy to a garbage outlet, just in time.

Vader's hands moved quickly over the keys, trying to discover the cause of his son's illness, but he was distracted by the miserable whimpers from the child. Finally, he found the cause and went to sit next to his son.

"Luke, do you remember ever being given a needle?"

Luke gave a despairing wail and hid his face against his father, "It hurt. Oh, Dad, it hurt so much."

"They injected you with things that made you hurt?" Vader asked gently.

"Yes. Don't ask me more about it; I don't want to think about it. It hurt too much."

"I understand. I think some of those injections may have hurt you."

"I'll say." Luke interrupted.

"I mean that they may have hurt you more than they were intended to." Vader corrected gently.

"Oh," Luke looked up, suddenly confused.

"I have done research on all the pain-causers, and I think the only thing I can do for you is keep you as comfortable as possible. What would you need to feel a bit better?"

"Food," Luke replied bluntly.

"Of course, come here." Vader held out his arms, and the child crawled into them. As Vader stood up, Obi-Wan followed cautiously. He felt that it would be wrong to leave then, when Luke seemed to desperately need comfort.

Vader didn't acknowledge the other's presence, but he could sense that it was calming his son, and decided to allow him to stay. In his arms, Luke shivered profusely.

_Obi-Wan?_

_Yes, Vader?_

_Why don't we let Luke chose who to go with?_

_That sounds fair._

_It's a contest, then_. Vader thought privately. _I won't lose my son._

"Dad? I feel sick again." Luke warned through gritted teeth.

Vader quickly placed him before another garbage disposal.

"Are you sure food is the best thing for you right now?"

Luke finished vomiting and shook his head miserably, "Maybe not."

"You're right about that," Obi-Wan agreed, gently running his fingers through Luke's hair. Luke leaned on the other's thigh, and showed absolutely no inclination to get back to his feet.

Vader gathered him in his arms again, carrying the boy back to bed. "It's going to be all right, Luke. I promise."

Luke nodded weakly, "I know."

Vader placed the boy on his bed, and Luke rolled towards him, taking his hand. Vader's heart leapt.

Obi-Wan sat across from Vader, also regarding the small form.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Luke?"

"Will you tell me a story?"

Vader bit his lip under the mask, momentarily forgetting the pain it would bring him. He quickly remembered. After he bit back a swear, he said, "I'm really not much good with stories."

"I don't care. Tell me about Mom." Luke needled.

Vader managed to stumble through a short summary of his wife, but when he was done, Luke continued to look up at him, expecting more.

Obi-Wan saved him by continuing with a much better organized story than Vader had had any hope of creating. Vader listened just as attentively as Luke, allowing memories of Padmé to wash over him.

"Dad?"

Vader shook his head and returned to the real world. "Yes, Luke?"

"I'm hungry again."

"Do you think you can keep it down?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure." Luke nodded and sat up.

"Would you like to walk downstairs?" Vader asked, helping his son to stand up.

Luke tottered and fell against his father, but when Vader tried to pick him up, he shook his head. "No, I've gotta try to do this myself."

Vader clamped his son against his side. "Oh, no you don't."

Obi-Wan smiled, and quickly hid it behind one hand. Vader ignored him, quite pointedly.

Luke stumbled down the stairs, clutching at his father for support. When the boy reached the kitchen he fell against his father, unable to walk another step. Vader placed him on the counter and got him food.

As Vader slowly fed his son, Obi-Wan held the boy's hand, gently caressing it. When the child had eaten as much as he wanted, he held his arms out to his father, who picked him up and carried him back to bed.

Obi-Wan sat on the opposite side of the bed and reached over to touch the boy's forehead.

"He's burning up. May I get him something cool?"

"Stay with him." Vader commanded, standing up. He hastened to find a cloth and dampen it in cool water.

When he returned to his son, the boy was lying against Obi-Wan's chest crying softly. When he saw his father enter, however, he pulled away and reached for him. Vader sat beside the child and gently washed his sweat-streaked face.

Vader hated to hear his son crying so pitifully, but the way the boy pulled himself closer to his father made him feel the last thing in the galaxy a Sith would want to feel. So why wasn't he upset? He _wanted_ to love this child, deep in his heart, he knew he couldn't _not_ love his son.

He was surprised when Obi-Wan stood up, slowly releasing Luke's hand.

"I have to leave, Luke."

Luke's eyes snapped open and he tried to grasp Obi-Wan's hand.

"Don't go! Please!"

"I have to." Obi-Wan took Luke's hand once more and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It will be all right, you have your father. Unless, of course, you'd like to come with me?"

Luke's sobs increased in intensity. "Please don't go! I-I need both of you!"

Vader held him close, continuing to wipe away the sweat, which now mingled with tears. "Hush, Luke. It's all right."

_What do we do now?_

_You have to leave. Go. I'll take Luke until he's strong enough to decide._

_All right._

"Luke, I really do have to leave. You can come to me if you wish, you know where I will be."

"I- Ben, please!" Luke reached out.

Vader decided that Obi-Wan couldn't have chosen a worse time to leave. He wasn't about to back down, but he felt a little of that deep-rooted fury rise again. In his arms, Luke sobbed inconsolably.

"It's all right, Luke." He soothed. As he stroked the boy's shoulder, Luke seemed only to become more and more scared. Finally, he used the Force to push his son into unconsciousness.


End file.
